Western Cascade Conference 2007 fall preview

The Olympian combines the capsule previews of all the teams in the Western Cascade Conference into one handy article. (For some reason, the site omits Lakes from the preview.)

Elsewhere, the paper hands Lakes the conference title...

Who can stop Lakes? Perhaps no one this season. This Lancers team has Class 3A state title ambitions and is bursting with college talent. Kavario Middleton, a 6-foot-6, 240-pound tight end/defensive end, is one of the country’s top college recruits. Jermaine Kearse (6-1, 170, senior) is a top two-way threat at receiver/safety. Lakes will be led by another college prospect in QB Calvin Schmidtke (6-0, 180, senior), who transferred from Life Christian, where he passed for 3,048 yards and 43 touchdowns last season

...and predicts the following finish:

1. Lakes
2. Shelton
3. Capital
4. Timberline
5. North Thurston
6. Yelm
7. Clover Park

Watch for the Shelton Highclimbers, who are returning 7 offensive and 8 defensive starters. Timberline, which dominated the WCC last year, hopes to extend last year's playoff success--but with a new coach. Yelm has the potential to be the conference's dark horse; last year coach Del Enders, 5-14 in his first three seasons, led the team to a 4-6 record and its first playoff appearance in two decades.

Meanwhile, here at home, the Capital Cougars face Black Hills, no slouch, in the season opener this Friday at 7:00. The Wolves' head coach Jack Zilla:

"We’re going to try to run 60 percent and throw 40 percent... Across the board, team speed has improved and defensively we’ve improved. The 46 defense is a unique defense... We’ve taken a lot of reps and looked at practice film. This is the second year, so we should be a lot better and a lot better overall."

Should be a good game. I'll be there.

See also: CHS football preview.